Documenting Discipline II.

Documenting Discipline II, Video, 2007, Coastal Training Technologies, $845.

Support: Leader's Guide, PowerPoint presentation, workbook.

As strange (and ridiculous) as it might sound, a few clients have actually asked me to come in and "fix" one of their employees. After we get past that poor choice of words, the problem at hand seems to be the same. A manager goes to HR, insisting that an employee who is not doing his or her job needs to be terminated.

Inevitably, it comes to light that the manager does not have adequate documentation for a situation that, in many cases, has gone on for quite some time. In addition, the employee's performance evaluations mention nothing about problematic behavior. In many cases the evaluations are quite good.

This problem has become commonplace due to the fact that many managers simply do not know how to accurately create the necessary documentation required for employee discipline situations.

Anyone who has spent any time in the business world is aware of the frequency of lawsuits brought against organizations by employees who feel that they are a victim of wrongful termination or the like. Regardless of the outcome, litigation can be time consuming, expensive, and a poor reflection on a company.

Although some litigation cannot be avoided, it is still essential that every manager have the knowledge and skills needed to correctly adhere to the disciplinary documentation process. Documenting Discipline II, by Coastal, is a viable solution for this common problem.

The program consists of a DVD, workbook, Leader's Guide, and quiz. You can show the entire DVD program or individual chapters: "Introduction," "Maintain Documentation," "Address Performance Problems," "The Oral Warning," "The Written Warning," "Final Option," and "Summary." A stand-alone PowerPoint presentation highlights major program content and includes links to relevant portions of the DVD. The presentation can be customized to include pertinent company-specific information.

The Documenting Discipline II workbook is 86 pages loaded with helpful information that complements the DVD. The main sections are:

1. Getting Started

2. Your Incidents Diary

3. Finding the Facts

4. Objectives, Solutions, and Actions

5. Progressive Discipline

6. Meeting with the Employee

7. Suggested Answers to Exercises

The Leader's Guide (included on the DVD) is excellent. It provides a thorough, step-by-step overview, valuable training tips, and other key information that will enable the facilitator to lead an effective training session. There are two sample agendas for the program, for either a 90-minute or three-hour session.

Documenting Discipline II is an outstanding training resource. The written materials, including the workbook, slides, and Leader's Guide are well written. It is obvious that a seasoned training pro (Mike Deblieux) had a hand in creating an effective, enjoyable program.

The video segments are well done. The action is realistic and not exaggerated or dated. The example scenarios are quite common, which is another plus. The presentations are brief, yet they provide substantial opportunities for both discussion and learning.

My only suggestion for improvement concerns the DVD startup. The screen says, "In order to view the DVD Video portion of this disc, please launch your computer's DVD Video navigator." It took me a moment or two to realize that, in my case, I needed to launch Windows Media Player on my laptop.

I recommend that Coastal provide specific instructions about launching whatever software is required on the "How to Use This DVD" card already included in the DVD case.

Recommendation

Documenting Discipline II is a must for:

* Every organization's training resource library

* Every manager, new or seasoned

The materials are well designed and relevant, and the course can be completed in a short time. This resource will enable managers to effectively, consistently do a task that can't be left to chance.

Review by Donna Walsh

Product Ratings

Documenting Discipline II

Overall rating  ****